Cabin Door Detaches from Beechcraft Super King Air During Descent

Casualties unknown • Twin City Shopping Mall,, ZA

A Beechcraft Super King Air B200 lost its cabin door mid-flight near Bloemfontein after a mechanical failure in the locking mechanism caused the door to detach.

What happened

On 8 February 2025, a Beechcraft Super King Air B200, registration ZS-LFW, was performing a positioning flight from Kimberley Airport to Bram Fischer International Airport. The flight, operated under Part 91, carried two pilots and two medical personnel.

During the descent from flight level 130, a warning light for the cabin door illuminated on the cockpit annunciator panel. The crew identified that one of the four door locks was misaligned. Following standard procedures, the captain instructed the passengers to remain belted and began a descent to 6,000 feet to depressurize the cabin. While on the downwind leg for Runway 30 at Bram Fischer, the cabin door opened and became completely detached from the fuselage.

The crew managed to maintain control and landed the aircraft safely. The detached door was later located in a parking lot at the Twin City Shopping Mall, approximately 4 nautical miles southwest of the airport. There were no injuries to the crew or passengers, and no damage was reported on the ground.

Probable cause

The primary cause of the incident was a loss of rigging integrity within the cabin door's latch and lock mechanism, which prevented the door from being securely fastened and eventually allowed the airflow to detach it from the aircraft.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2025-02-08 Beechcraft Super King Air B200 accident near Twin City Shopping Mall,, ZA?

A Beechcraft Super King Air B200 lost its cabin door mid-flight near Bloemfontein after a mechanical failure in the locking mechanism caused the door to detach.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2025-02-08 involved a Beechcraft Super King Air B200, registration ZS-LFW, at Twin City Shopping Mall,, ZA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The primary cause of the incident was a loss of rigging integrity within the cabin door's latch and lock mechanism, which prevented the door from being securely fastened and eventually allowed the airflow to detach it from the aircraft.

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